Interview with Paradox Interactive on 4X space exploration game, Stellaris

A: This game is quite complex, you mentioned how all the aliens are different each time you play, a lot of ethics, politics, and all that. How hard was this game to make?

H: It was very hard for us because we have built it on our Clausewitz engine, the same engine that Crusader Kings II and Hearts of Iron 4 is running on. This time we had completely different set of demands for like how the map would look, and ships should move dynamic, big demands for multiplayer like “hot joining” a game in progress. It has been a great challenge, even when it comes to things like design since we now had to do thing we didn’t have to do and think about before. 4X is something we haven’t done before. It has been difficult to do.

A: How long has it taken since you started on this game to when it gets released?

H: I think we started with pre-production in 2013, I think.

A: So it has taken its time.

H: But of course, at the start it wasn’t “full speed ahead” and we were testing different concepts.

A: What does the future look like for Stellaris? Is there anything special planned?

H: Yes, the first expansion is pretty much done and we have a plan on what we want to do. The plan is to do with Stellaris like we have done with Europa Universalis IV (EU IV) and Crusader Kings II (CK II), this game is going to have a long lifespan and we want to release many expansions to it alongside with free content.

A: Are you allowed to tell the name of the first expansion?

H: Nope, I am not allowed to do that, I can’t say anything about it. I can only say that we have given it a lot of thought.

A: Are expansions and DLC anything you think about before the release of the game? Or is it something that comes later?

H: No, we think about it. We need to have a plan for the game that stretches one year forward so we know what to do. We also have more long term plans as well. A lot depends on how the game is received by people and what the people wants and things like that, it’s not carved in stone and we can change when we see that the people wants something else.

A: How is the DLC going to be released? Will it be like Europa Universalis with one skin there, one building there, one unit over there, or will it be more like Cities: Skylines with bigger bundles of content?

H: I really want to point out the difference on what we internally call “DLC”, which is only cosmetic, music, portrait packs, and so on,  and “expansions”.

Cosmetic DLC will most likely be bundled like in CK II and EU IV where you can get like south Indian portraits, a music pack, and a skin or similar that is one bundle and that is probably how we are going to do in Stellaris as well.

A: Do you have any idea on what price range it will be for DLC and expansions?

H: It will be very similar to EU IV, that’s what we are aiming for. Those who have played out games will be familiar with it, it will be the same model, maybe with a few exceptions, it all depends on what happens in the future. (Editor's note: Bigger expansions for EU IV costs about 20€ or $20).

A: You mentioned free content updates, will they be like more species, ships, or more like gameplay mechanics and such?

H: It can be anything. When we design an expansion it is because we think that the game needs to be improved in some ways or it would be fun to add certain features. When you do that you realize that some changes are too fundamental so we can’t really charge for them because we won’t be able to keep on building on the game in the future. So we decide to release it for free and we charge for something else instead. I see it all as a new expansion, even the free content, it’s part of the expansion.

A: A bit like Cities: Skyline then, when a new expansion comes with i.e. weather effects like rain then everyone gets rain, you don’t have to pay for it.

H: That’s exactly how we are going to do it.

A: Most strategy games gets a fair bit of DLC like Civilization 5, Endless Legend, EU IV, and unfortunately they feel a bit old when you buy then 2 years later without all the DLC. How will Stellaris minimize that risk?

H: It’s nothing we are really thinking about. What usually happens is that we lower the price or bundle together older content packs. Honestly, it’s more of a question for the sales department. We on the design side of the game don’t really think about it too much.

A: You design.

H: Yea, we stick to designing, haha!

A: Have you hidden any Easter eggs in the game? The community loves Easter eggs.

H: There is a more than a few hidden in there. That is a typical thing that we’ll sneak in with every update.

A: Can you hint about one of them?

H: Eh, yes, or no, rather. I don’t think I can.

A: The PR department will start yelling at you if you do?

H: Something like that.

A: What are your goals for Stellaris? It is a new IP and all

H: Oh... It is a new IP and I really want it to be as replayable as we can possible make it. With everything being procedurally generated then everything then everything should feel fresh every time you play it. That’s something we will keep working on after release as well. The hard thing with procedurally generated games is to give the same immersion, the feeling that you can relate to all the aliens you meet and feel that they all are unique, that’s definitely something I want to keep working on. But the replayability is one of our biggest goals, and that Stellaris will be one of our most accessible games ever released by Paradox and maybe get in new players that hasn’t really been into our games before.

A: Will there be some sort of static mode so you won’t have to get a new experience every time so players can learn a certain tactic or play a certain way?

H: We will support so called “pre-scripted” galaxies for when people makes total conversion mods like the Star Wars galaxy or whatever. That will be possible to make. It’s also possible that we ourselves will release such scenarios if it turns out to be something the players wants.